We have already seen that the 1000-year period which began in Autumn 1874 A.D. is the 49th (1000 year day) from the beginning of the "days" of creation (46,128 B.C.), and the 7th (1000 year day) from the fall of Adam (4126 B.C.), and that, therefore, it may be regarded as a great “Sabbath year." In that “year," called the Millennial Age, men will gradually acquire perfect faculties, and through the exercise of these perfect faculties they will learn their environment, and thus will gradually take possession of the earthly kingdom which was prepared for them from the foundation of the world (Matt. 25:34). This will be a time of rest for the children or seed of Abraham, who will nevertheless be working in raising fallen men from the pit of death. The work of these children of Abraham, spiritual and natural, will be dictated by love. By the end of the thousand years they will have restored all men to perfection.
Then will begin the 50th 1000-year period, the Grand Jubilee of Jubilees. This Jubilee of Jubilees, however, will not really be a thousand years long, but will last to all eternity! At its commencement, just as at the beginning of Adam's second year, and at the beginning of the typical jubilee, there will be a short season of trouble. The trouble may last, possibly, for 40 Years and will be owing to the loosing of Satan who had been bound during the preceding thousand years (Rev.20:1-3).
But when this final test of men's obedience to their Creator is past, and the disobedient are destroyed with Satan in the second death, all the loyal will be called the children of God and will live on into the Ages of glory to follow. The most important feature of their rejoicing will be the restoration of perfect communion with God and with one another. God will have such confidence in men that he will grant them eternal life with complete dominion over the earth. "There will be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, nor will there be any more pain, for the former things will have passed away" (Rev. 21:4). The Apostle Peter informs us in his first epistle (3:20, 21) that the flood, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit, stand to each other in the relation of type and antitype: "When the patience of God was waiting in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were carried safely through the water. And immersion [baptism], an antitype of this, now saves us."
It is evident that the Apostle is referring to the real immersion, of which the immersion into water is only a symbol—it is the real and not the symbolic immersion that saves us. The water of baptism symbolizes the death-state. Accordingly, the destruction of the first "World of the ungodly" in water, typified the death-state into which this "Present Evil World" is passing. The ark represents the Divine plan of salvation, and Christ as the embodiment of that plan. Just as God was patient and long-suffering with the iniquity of men and angels while the ark of Noah was being prepared, so he was patient and long-suffering with the iniquity of men and angels while his glorious plan of salvation was being prepared through the Law and the Prophets (Luke 24:44).
Again, just as the ark of Noah and the few who were in it were in the water, but were carried safely through it, so Christ and the few who were in him have been in the death-state, but are carried safely through it; for we who are saved by baptism will share in the glorious resurrection of Christ (Rom. 6:3-5).
We now find that, not only was the flood typical of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but their commencements are chronologically parallel. The flood or typical baptism began 654 years after the beginning of the first cycle of 2500 years. The antitypical baptism of the Holy Spirit began with the baptism of Jesus in Autumn 29 A.D. (Sec. X); and there he became the Christ or the Anointed One, the Ark of God. This was 654 years after the beginning of the second cycle of 2500 years (625¼ B.C. plus 28¾ A.D. equal 654 years).
The period of 1846 years from the beginning of the typical immersion was followed by two typical rest-years; so a corresponding period of 1846 years from the beginning of the antitypical baptism is followed by the two great antitypical Rest-Years. Thus it is clear that God marked off the immersion of Noah's ark in the waters of the flood chronologically as the type of the immersion of Christ, who is the antitypical ark, into death; for Christ's death began at, and was symbolized, by his water immersion at Jordan.
Then will begin the 50th 1000-year period, the Grand Jubilee of Jubilees. This Jubilee of Jubilees, however, will not really be a thousand years long, but will last to all eternity! At its commencement, just as at the beginning of Adam's second year, and at the beginning of the typical jubilee, there will be a short season of trouble. The trouble may last, possibly, for 40 Years and will be owing to the loosing of Satan who had been bound during the preceding thousand years (Rev.20:1-3).
But when this final test of men's obedience to their Creator is past, and the disobedient are destroyed with Satan in the second death, all the loyal will be called the children of God and will live on into the Ages of glory to follow. The most important feature of their rejoicing will be the restoration of perfect communion with God and with one another. God will have such confidence in men that he will grant them eternal life with complete dominion over the earth. "There will be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, nor will there be any more pain, for the former things will have passed away" (Rev. 21:4). The Apostle Peter informs us in his first epistle (3:20, 21) that the flood, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit, stand to each other in the relation of type and antitype: "When the patience of God was waiting in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were carried safely through the water. And immersion [baptism], an antitype of this, now saves us."
It is evident that the Apostle is referring to the real immersion, of which the immersion into water is only a symbol—it is the real and not the symbolic immersion that saves us. The water of baptism symbolizes the death-state. Accordingly, the destruction of the first "World of the ungodly" in water, typified the death-state into which this "Present Evil World" is passing. The ark represents the Divine plan of salvation, and Christ as the embodiment of that plan. Just as God was patient and long-suffering with the iniquity of men and angels while the ark of Noah was being prepared, so he was patient and long-suffering with the iniquity of men and angels while his glorious plan of salvation was being prepared through the Law and the Prophets (Luke 24:44).
Again, just as the ark of Noah and the few who were in it were in the water, but were carried safely through it, so Christ and the few who were in him have been in the death-state, but are carried safely through it; for we who are saved by baptism will share in the glorious resurrection of Christ (Rom. 6:3-5).
We now find that, not only was the flood typical of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but their commencements are chronologically parallel. The flood or typical baptism began 654 years after the beginning of the first cycle of 2500 years. The antitypical baptism of the Holy Spirit began with the baptism of Jesus in Autumn 29 A.D. (Sec. X); and there he became the Christ or the Anointed One, the Ark of God. This was 654 years after the beginning of the second cycle of 2500 years (625¼ B.C. plus 28¾ A.D. equal 654 years).
The period of 1846 years from the beginning of the typical immersion was followed by two typical rest-years; so a corresponding period of 1846 years from the beginning of the antitypical baptism is followed by the two great antitypical Rest-Years. Thus it is clear that God marked off the immersion of Noah's ark in the waters of the flood chronologically as the type of the immersion of Christ, who is the antitypical ark, into death; for Christ's death began at, and was symbolized, by his water immersion at Jordan.
